Belt



April 18, 1967 H. S. WINGARD BELT Filed May 4, 1965 34 INVENTOR.

IJE/VRV s. W/l/GA/PD ATTORNEY United States Patent ()fiice 3,314,421 Patented Apr. 18,- 1967 3,314,421 BELT Henry S. Wingard, Cranford, NJ. (RD. 1, Box 43, New London, NJC. 28127) Filed May 4, 1965, Ser. No. 453,055 12 Claims. (Cl. 128102) This invention relates to belts and more particularly to belts for use in truss arrangements.

Many different types of belts are known and have been used to support and position hernia pads for reducible hernias and the like but they have been found satisfactory since they have tended to place the portion of the torso therebeneath under compressive strain making the wearing of the truss uncomfortable and interfering with the natural functions. Similar compressive stresses produced by trouser supports i.e., belts, have also caused individuals having sensitive abdomens to abandon their use in favor of other less conventional means. Additionally the wearing of a belt is occasionally prohibited as for example after surgery in the belt-line area.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel belt structure which overcomes the deficiencies aforenoted.

It is another object of this invention to provide a belt which is adjustable by the wearer to control the area of contact of the belt with the torso of the wearer.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a belt structure which relieves a portion of the body surface area beneath the belt of compressive stress when the belt is tensioned, i.e., tightened, about the torso of the wearer.

The above and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a hernia truss, utilizing a belt illustrating one embodiment of the invention, as it appears when placed in position on a human torso;

FIG. 2 is a topperspective of the truss of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the belt of FIG. 2 on a further enlarged scale taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

'FIG. 4 is a top perspective View of a belt usable as trouser support or the like illustrating another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional View of a portion of the belt of FIG. 4 on an enlarged scale taken along the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 3, of yet another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, a hernia truss 10 is illustrated which includes pressure pad 12 and a belt member 14 adapted to encircle the torso 16- of the wearer. The belt may be considered as spanning the torso 16 from hip-bone to hip-bone when properly positioned. A pad positioning strap 17 extends through the crotch of the wearer from the pad 12 to a rear part of the belt 14. In order to be effective in reducing the hernia, the pad 12 must be applied thereto with considerable pressure. The pressure of the pad 12 is adjustable by the user by adjusting the tension of the belt 14 as by tightening the belt through the use of a buckle arrangement including studs 18 and belt apertures 20. A series of studs 18a, 18b, 180 are mounted on the metal pad support arm 19 for engagement with one of a series of aligned apertures 20 in the belt 12. The studs 18 and apertures 20 are separable connectors that allow the truss to be donned by the wearer.

In prior constructions, the belt 14, of leather or other material which is flexible when properly tensioned placed considerable pressure on the abdomen therebeneath. This pressure was found to be both uncomfortable and deleterious to the natural functions of the wearer. In

. compressive stress.

order to avoid this pressure I have provided an improvement in structures which includes, in the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, securing a guard member 2 2, of semirigid material, to the exterior surface of the belt. The guard is made of plastically deformable material having a deformation strength higher than the tension forces nor mally encountered but low enough to be manually deformed in the belt. I have found a relatively thin strip of mild steel to be admirably suited for this purpose. The guard or plate 22 is secured to the belt at its ends 22a, as by rivets 24. The guard 22 which is orignally flat and the portion 12a of the belt to which it is secured are orignally of equal length. Guard 22 is subsequently bent to space its center portion away from the torso 16 and being more rigid than the belt acts as a tension transmitting agent relieving the belt portion 12a of this duty; the area of the body beneath the belt segment 12a is thereby relieved of contact with the belt and the application of compressive stress to the area is avoided. Being made of semi-rigid material, the guard 22 may be bent manually by the wearer or the person fitting the truss to provide the desired degree of clearance between the belt and the torso. The ends 22a of the guard are isolated from contact with the torso by the belt .14.

Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5 another embodiment of the invention is illustrated wherein a guard 30 is formed of a flattened tube of semi-rigid material. A thin walled tube of aluminum has been found satisfactory. The tube has a deformation strength higher than the tension forces normally encountered in the belt but low enough to be manually deformed to accomplish the desired conforming operation. The guard is shown in conjunction with a standard type of trouser belt 32 to which it closely conforms. The end portions 30a of the guard are flattened and are bent by the user to lay comfortably against the torso. The intermediate portion of the guard spaces the contained belt portion 32a away from the underlying torso thus relieving that portion of the wearers body of Belt 32 is slidable within the guard so that the guard may be positioned along the belt. The flattened ends 30a augment the friction between the .guard and the belt and therefore aid in maintaining the guard in its selected position on the belt. The guard may be removed entirely from the belt so that it may be used when desired; the belt being usable by itself. This embodiment of the invention is usable with belts of extensible or non-extensible material.

In FIG. 6 yet another embodiment of the invention is shown wherein a guard member 34 of semi-rigid material, similar to that of the embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 3, is used together with a two ply belt 36. The guard 34 is interposed between the plys of the belt and is secured by rivets 38. The guard 34 may be adjusted, as by bending, to position a portion of the belt 36 the desired distance away from the body of the wearer.

The aforedescribed embodiments of the invention provide novel means for relieving the discomfort of those required to wear belts and, although illustrated in connection with belts worn at or about the wast or belt-line of humans, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that use with other types of belts at different locations is within the teaching of this invention.

It will be recognized that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A support comprising a tensioned body encircling beltlike member, and guard means of plastically deformable material mounted thereon, said guard means having end portions and a center portion therebetween, said end por tions engaging said belt-like member, said end portions being in engagement with the body of the wearer when in use and said center portion being displaced relative to said end portions for spacing a portion of said belt-like member from the surface of the encircled body.

2. A support according to claim 1 wherein said guard means includes an elongated strip of semi-rigid material secured to said belt-like member in confronting relation, said strip being bent to space a portion of said strip and said belt-like member intermediate the end portions of said guard means from the surface of the body.

3. A support according to claim 1 wherein said beltlike member has an interior face for contact with the body surface and an exterior face, and wherein said guard means includes an elongated strip of semi-rigid material secured to the exterior face of said belt, said strip being bent to space a portion of said strip and said belt-like member intermediate the end portions of said guard means from the surface of the body.

4. A support according to claim 1 wherein said beltlike member is composed of multiple plies, and wherein said guard means includes an elongated strip of semi-rigid material secured between the plies of said belt-like member, said strip being bent to space a portion of said strip and said belt-like member intermediate the end portions of said guard means from the surface of the body.

5. A support according to claim 1 wherein said guard mean includes a tube of semi-rigid material which encompasses a portion of said belt-like member, said tube being bent to space portions of said tube and said beltlike member encompassed therein intermediate the end portions of said guard means from the surface of the body.

6. A support according to claim 1 wherein said guard means includes a tube of semi-rigid material which encompasses a portion of said belt-like member, said tube being bent to space portions of said tube and said belt-like member encompassed therein intermediate the end portions of said guard means from the surface of the body, said tube having the end portions thereof flattened to closely conform to said belt-like member to thereby augment the friction between said tube and said belt-like member whereby said tube is maintained in position on said beltlike member. 7

7. A support including a belt adapted to encircle a human torso, said belt exerting compressive stresses on said torso when in place thereon, guard means of plastically deformable material mounted on said belt, said guard means having end portions and a center portion therebetween, said end portions engaging said belt, said end portions being in engagement with said torso when in use and said center portion being displaced relative to said end portions for spacing a portion of said 'belt and said guard means from said torso to provide a stress free area on said torso.

8. A support according to claim 7 wherein said guard means includes a strip of semi-rigid material secured to said belt, said strip being bent to space confronting portions of said strip and said belt from said torso intermediate said end portions, said strip having a deformation strength higher than the tensile stress to which it is subjected by said belt when in use but having a deformation strength low enough to be manually bent'for adjustment of the spacing of said confronting portions of said belt and said guard means from said torso.

9. A support according to claim 7 wherein said guard means includes a tube of semi-rigid material which encompasses a portion of said belt, said tube being bent to space portions of said tube and said belt from the surface of said torso intermediate said end portions, said tube having a deformation strength higher than the tensile stress to which it is subjected by said belt when in use but having a deformation strength low enough to be manually bent for adjustment of the spacing of said encompassed portion of said belt and said guard means from said torso.

10. A hernia truss arrangement including a body encircling belt member, a pressure pad afiixed to said belt, and guard means of plastically deformable material on said belt, said belt being tensioned about the body to apply said pad to said body with force, said tensioned belt having forceful engagement with the body therebeneath, said guard means having end portions and a center portion therebetween, said end portions engaging said belt, said end portions engaging the body of the wearer when in use and said center portion being displaced relative to said end portions for spacing a portion of said belt and said guard away from said body to thereby avoid forceful engagement of said portion of said belt and said guard with said body.

11. A hernia truss arrangement according to claim 10 wherein said guard means includes a strip of semi-rigid material secured to a co-extensive portion of said belt, said strip relieving said belt portion of the tension forces present in said belt, said strip being formed intermediate said end portions thereof to space said portion of said strip and said belt away from said body.

12. A hernia truss arrangement according to claim 10 wherein said guard means includes a tube of semi-rigid material which encompasses a portion of said belt, said tube being bent to space portions of said tube and said belt portion from said body.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,072,804 9/1913 Appley 12899 2,029,557 2/1936 Buckley 128-104 2,239,616 4/ 1941 Mergehenn et al 128-102 2,281,409 4/1942 Brooks l28-l02 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SUPPORT COMPRISING A TENSIONED BODY ENCIRCLING BELTLIKE MEMBER, AND GUARD MEANS OF PLASTICALLY DEFORMABLE MATERIAL MOUNTED THEREON, SAID GUARD MEANS HAVING END PORTIONS AND A CENTER PORTION THEREBETWEEN, SAID END PORTIONS ENGAGING SAID BELT-LIKE MEMBER, SAID END PORTIONS BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BODY OF THE WEARER WHEN IN USE AND SAID CENTER PORTION BEING DISPLACED RELATIVE TO SAID END PORTIONS FOR SPACING A PORTION OF SAID BELT-LIKE MEMBER FROM THE SURFACE OF THE ENCIRCLED BODY. 